Sir, - I was saddened by the vitriolic letter from Yousef Allan (November 18th). Prior to the recent violence in the Middle East, the region stood at the threshold of peace, including the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, a redressing of the refugee issue and a solution to the highly complex question of Jerusalem. The Barak government had stretched the bounds of flexibility in order to find compromise, thus losing is parliamentary majority and facing new and highly uncertain elections. It was ready to entertain proposals forwarded by President Clinton at Camp David and wholly endorsed by EU heads of state in Biarritz but, regretfully, rejected by the Palestinians outright.
The violent rioting by incited mobs, which has included shooting, lynchings and the mass release of hardened Hamas terrorists, has plunged the process into disarray. Israel found itself forced to react and the peace camp within Israel is now decimated by what appears to many as Palestinian unwillingness to accept our right to exist.
Unhappily, misinformation abounds - as in the case of Mary Robinson's visit, where the preliminary ballistic investigation clearly shows the shot coming from a stray Palestinian bullet.
Peace, in which no side will attain its full goals, will eventually come to the Middle East. Such is the nature of negotiation, but surely the first stage should include educating the children for co-existence rather than frontline confrontation.
I may be one of the "failing diplomats" to whom Mr Allan refers, but instead of reverting to vituperation I continue to extend my arms for peace, even at this sad hour, for the sake of the children on both sides of the divide. To quote Abba Eban, hopefully the Palestinians will not again lose an opportunity to lose an opportunity. - Yours, etc.,
Mark Sofer, Ambassador of Israel, Pembroke Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.